Expansion AFL club Gold Coast have appointed home-grown Marcus Ashcroft as football manager as they build their brains trust ahead of their 2011 competition entry.

The former Brisbane triple premiership player will head the Coast's football department, a key senior position working alongside foundation coach Guy McKenna.

Ashcroft, Queensland's AFL games record holder with 318, spent four years in an administration role with the Lions after retiring from the game following their last premiership success in 2003.

He joined the Gold Coast Football Club bid team last year, well before the fledgling club began its search for a football manager.

GCFC chief executive Travis Auld said a nationwide search revealed they already had the best man for the role.

The appointment consolidates the Gold Coast's strong brains trust of coach McKenna, senior assistant Ken Hinkley from Geelong, CEO Auld from Essendon and highly-respected recruitment officer Scott Clayton.

Ashcroft, the first non-Victorian to have played 300 games in the AFL, said he always had the football manager's role in his sights despite originally joining as an assistant coach.

"I really enjoyed the coaching part but all along my ambition was to be football manager," he said.

"My role will be to provide leadership in a rapidly expanding football department in preparation for the club's first season in 2011.

"We have a small team now that will more than double by the end of next year so there are many challenges.

"Having grown up on the Coast, gone to school and university and having played here it is great to be involved in a local AFL team."

Auld said it was important the club's inaugural football manager was a highly-successful local product.

"We are delighted with Marcus appointment," Auld said. "He is a quality person and had a stellar career with the Brisbane Lions which continues our goal of creating a culture of success for GCFC.

"He had an impeccable record at AFL level and importantly for the Gold Coast is a product of our local football community and has a passionate connection with the Gold Coast."

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